It was approximately 11:34 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, when the call came in to the Monroe County E-911 Center in Tennessee. A man who called in said he fell off a cliff while being chased by a bear.
According to a press release posted to Facebook by Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones, the call was transferred from the Polk County E-911 Center and was pinged in the Charles Hall bridge on the Cherohala Skyway in Tellico Plains. This skyway connects forested areas.
Authorities said the man who called in claimed to be a Mr. Brandon Andrade. He also said he was injured and partially in water. When emergency responders arrived at the area, they began search and rescue operations and found a deceased male with identification for a Mr. Brandon Kristopher Andrade on his person. However, all was not what it seemed.
Detectives with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and the Monroe County Violent Crime Task Force reviewed the scene and the deceased male was transported to Knox County Regional Forensic Center. As they investigated, the detectives determined that the man was not actually Brandon Andrade. They discovered that the identification was stolen and that it had been used on multiple occasions.
Through their investigation, authorities also came to the conclusion that the deceased man wasn’t the person who made the distress call. Instead, they believe that it was Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, a man who had been using Andrade’s stolen identification. Per the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Hamlett was wanted in Alabama for a parole violation. After the distressed hiker call, Hamlett allegedly used a fake name while speaking with law enforcement in Knox County.
Who was the victim?
By Nov. 4, authorities had identified the victim as Steven Douglas Lloyd, a 34-year-old Knoxville resident. Lloyd had been a foster child who was adopted into a loving family, said the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. However, he suffered from trust issues and was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, the sheriff’s office added.
Authorities said Lloyd was known to leave home and live on the streets while keeping in contact with his family. His mental health struggles were reportedly a factor in this living situation. He was also known to love the outdoors and be helpful with others. At some point Lloyd befriended Hamlett, who allegedly lured him into a wooded area to murder him and steal his identity.
“The family was shocked to learn their beloved son’s life had been taken by someone that Steven trusted,” said the sheriff’s office.
Suspect found
On Oct. 30, U.S. Marshals offered a $5,000 reward for Hamlett’s capture.
This Sunday (Nov. 10), the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a call from law enforcement in Columbia, S.C. In that area, Hamlett was recognized at a local hospital and his identity was verified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation using fingerprints.
Hamlett was charged for First Degree Murder in Monroe County in addition to his parole violation charges in Alabama.